Pump



A. 0. PRICE PUMP 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 50, 1934 fivwwrom $156197 0. PIP/c: BY v Filed April 50, 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Apr. 14,1936

UNITED STATES 7 PATENT "OFFICE Priceler Corporation, ration of 'Ohio Cleveland, Ohio, a corpo- Application April 30, 1934, Serial No. 723,017

10 Claims.

This invention, as-indicate'd, relates to pumps. Moreparticularly it comprises apump structure wherein a reciprocating piston is provided in a chamber or casinghaving valves of large area as part of its wall structure. One or morewalls may belargely comprised of valve elements. The valves may be in the sidewalls-or in the end walls and the wall area over which the piston operates may be .formedin whole or inpart of 10 valve elements. In such case, the individual valves-in the side wall may open and close progressively as the-piston moves past their'individualpositions and the entire series-of valve elements may serveas valves for "each-side of 15 the piston for the-entire length of its stroke. The'pump may operate with any desired fluid and may serve as a means forpro-pelling :such fluid relatively to the pump or propelling the pump relatively to the fluid. It is peculiarly adapted in some of its forms to be employed on air craft as a propulsive or controlling element or on water craft in like manner.

This application is a continuation-in part of my application Serial No. 695,807, relative to the use of the unit as a primary and :also as .a secondary propulsive and control agency ,for air craft.

Positive displacement pumps are well known in certain fields, particularly in handling liquids, but m) in handling air columnsit is=customaryto use blowers of high capacity in-preference to other constructions. :Roots cycloidal pumps are frequently used, however, in positively moving air columns but are customarily used inlarge in- 7, stallations and involve weights and other considerations make the same impractical .for other applications.

The principal object of thepresent-invention is to provide a pump structure whichwill-posi- 4:) tively act on a quantity of fluid with a valve capacity of substantially any desired magnitude, and=if required the structure'may provide that such large valve capacity will be available for use at each forward-and rearward-stroke of the .gypump piston.

Another object of the invention is to provide a series ofprogressively operating" valve members'connected separately with conduitsor passageways whereby fluid maybe "progressively .3 1 forced into successive conduits in order that heating, cooling, or fluid distributing may be provided for from a single source to a, plurality of outlets. Likewise the valves may be reversedfrom the-arrangement just described and fluids may 5 be receivedirom a plurality of sources and combined in a single outlet. The valves also may close progressively.

A further object of the invention is to provide a by-pass from one side of the apparatus to the other to permit pressure relief if some or all of the regular outlet or'inlet valves are closed so as to affect the operation of the apparatus, and in some cases to make such by-pass automatically effective upon the pressure within the chamber reaching a predetermined point. A low pressure or vacuum'efiect may be provided in the line, if desired.

Another-object of the invention is to provide a pump adapted to provide fluid pressure to operate other'mechanism through various connecl5 tions, and to by-pass such fluid when there is no servicerequirement on the pressure line.

Another object of the invention is to provide a relatively silent pump mechanism operable at slow speed but with high efficiency, so that it may be used inindividual air conditioning units without being objectionable on account of mechanical noises.

Another object of the invention is to provide a double acting reciprocating pump operating at. least one single series of valves in each direction so as to utilize substantially full chamber capacity and substantially full valve capacity on its reciprocating strokesin-each direction.

A further object of the invention'is to provide a pump mechanism adaptable for positively displacing air columns and peculiarly useful in air craftand-air conditioning apparatus because of large capacity and relatively slow motion of the parts.

Another object of the invention is to provide a pump structure having a rectangular pump chamber with overlapping blade valves responsive to light pressure and with high capacity.

Other and further objects of the invention Will appear .in the course of. the following description.

While the drawings will show the usual construction of a chamber withinwhich a piston reciprocates, it is to beunderstood that the piston may comprise a fixed abutment, and, the casing providing the pumpchamber or chambers, may bemovedrelative thereto to effect thepositive displacement of the fluid at each stroke and in such case a series of valve members may form part of .a wall moved over the abutment and be progressively opened or closed in accordance with the direction of motion of the casing.

To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends, said invention, then, consists of the means hereinafter fully described and particularly pointed out in the claims, the annexed drawings and the following description setting forth in detail certain structures embodying the invention, such disclosed means constituting, however, but several of various forms in which the principle of the invention may be used.

In said annexed drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevation, partly in section, showing a pump and casing and driving mechanism for such pump, embodying the principles of the invention;

Figure 2 is an end elevation, partly in section,

of the apparatus shown in Figure 1 as installed in an aeroplane;

Figures 3, 4, 5 and 6 are diagrammatic sectional views showing the cycle of operations of the pump illustrated in Figures 1 and 2;

Figure 7 is a perspective view showing an apparatus embodying the principles of the invention, adapted to displace fluid into separate conduits;

Figure 8 is a fragmentary sectional View, taken along the line 88 shown in Figure '7, looking in the direction of the arrows;

Figure 9 is a side elevation, partly in section, showing a modified form of pump as applied to an air craft;

Figure 10 is a view taken at right angles to the view shown in Figure 9 showing the upper portion of the structure shown in Figure 9;

Figurell is a side elevation, partly in section, showing a modified form of pump and its associated mechanism as installed for air conditioning purposes;

Figure 12 is a fragmentary end view of the structure shown in Figure 11;

Figure 13 is an enlarged longitudinal section of the pump unit shown in Figures lland 12;

Figure 14 is a top plan view of the pump unit shown in Figure 13;

Figure 15 is a perspective view of the pump unit shown in Figures 13 and 14, the cable pulleys being omitted;

Fig. 16 is an end elevation of the pump unit shown in Figures 13 to 15;

Figure 17 is a transverse sectional view, taken along the line I'I-I'I, shown in Figure 13, looking in the direction of the arrows;

Figure 18 is an enlarged sectional detail view, taken along the line I8I8 shown in Figure 14, looking in the direction of the arrows;

Figure 19 is a perspective view of a modified form of pump structure and associated passageways; and

Figure 20 is a transverse sectional view of the structure shown in Figure 19.

As has been indicated, the pump is adapted for a variety of uses, and may move various fluids through the body and passageways thereof, or may propel itself and its associated structure through various fluids, such as air or water. In the form of construction shown in Figures 1 to 6, the device is associated with an aeroplane, and in the form shown in Figure '7 is shown as a fluid distributing device adapted for distributing either air or water, but intended primarily for air or gas distribution. In Figures 9 and 10 the device is shown as the propelling means for an air craft which may be in the form of a toy, if desired. In the form shown in Figures 11 to 20, the device is shown as particularly adapted for an air conditioning apparatus with the pump structure modified to the requirements thereof.

As is shown in Figures 1 and 2, a pump chamher I, preferably of rectangular cross section, is provided with a series of inwardly opening flap valves 2 at one end and a similar series of inwardly opening flap valves 3 at its opposite end, and. in two opposite side walls is provided with a series of outlet valves 4 and 5, respectively. The pump chamber is suitably supported adjacent its end portions upon frame members 6 and 1, which in the form illustrated are portions of an aeroplane fuselage. A screen 8 may be provided above the intake opening immediately above the pump chamber I, which screen may be continued over spaced inlet passageways 9 leading to the lowermost series of inlet valves. The screen serves to act as an equalizing medium for the intermittent suction effect created by the reciprocating member of the pump presently to be described.

The pump chamber is shown as rectangular, but obviously might be varied in form for special uses. The walls of the pump chamber may be of light sheet metal, or other material, such as Wood, fabric, composition, or the like. The reciprocating abutment or piston II of the pump preferably has slight marginal clearance or light frictional contact with the inner walls of the pump chamber. It may be thinner at the margins than at the center, tapering outwardly as shown and preferably is provided with a marginal flange I2 projecting above and below the same, and serving to prevent free flow of air over the margins thereof. The piston is firmly secured to the upper end of a pump shaft I3 preferably of rectangular cross-section, and running through closely fitted guides, I4, I5, in the pump chamber and pump casing walls, which may be made substantially air tight. The lower end of the pump shaft is formed with a cross slot I 6 engaged over a roller I'I, supported on a driving pin I8, projecting outwardly from' the face of the driving disc I9 of the power transmission mechanism.

Any suitable power unit may be employed such as a gasoline engine 2| connected by a clutch 22 With a speed reducer 23 with the shaft 24 carrying the driving disc I9.

A pump casing 25 is spaced from the pump chamberl at the front, rear, and bottom thereof to provide air intake passageways 9 to the under side of the pump chamber and the inlet valves 3, as heretofore described. The passageway is preferably curved on a long radius to provide for free air flow at the bottom. The sides of the pump chamber are provided with the valved openings 4, 5, communicating with the wings through passageways in the fuselage having side walls 26 and bottom walls 27.

The pump chamber, as stated, has valved openings 4, 5, at each of its sides, and also has valved openings 2, 3, at the top and bottom, respectively. All of the valves as shown are flap valves formed of overlapping strips of any suitable sheet material that is light, strong and substantially air tight, such as thin metal, rubberized composition, fabric over screening and the like. Each individual valve member 3! is provided with a hinge shown as a fabric hinge 32 in Figure 18, and preferably is held closed by a light spring 33, and may have a cushioned or felt covered free edge 34 to engage a suitably shaped seat 35 when closed. The top and bottom valves 2, 3, open inwardly into the pump chamber and the side valves 4, 5, open outwardly. The side edges of the valve members preferably seat against shallow ledges 3|] which may be felt covered. If thin flexible overlapping strips are used over screening or the like to form valves the ends of the rubber strips could be firmly secured, the free edge of each thin strip permitting the passage of the fluid, or theshutting off the fluid, through its elasticity.

The cycle of operations of thepump is shown in Figures 3 to 6, inclusive, the arrowsindicating the direction of piston movement and air flow through the inlet and discharge passageways. It will be noted that upon the upstroke the air is drawn into the smaller intake areas and into the casing 25 and through the bottom valves 3. The air above the piston is being forced through the side valves 4, 5, into the wings. The top flap valves 2 of the pump chamber are closed. The side valves close progressively from the bottom as the piston rises due to the low pressure eifect of the piston movement and valve arrangement, as is shown in Figure 4. Whenithe piston starts downwardly, the top valves 2 open and the bottom valves 3 close. A low pressure effectis induced at the top surface of the piston and above the screen. The upper side valves progressively close from the top as thepiston descends, the lower side valves remaining open to receive pressure air from the under side of the piston until it progressively moves past their position. Thus air is positively displaced in large volume into the wings on both the up and down strokes of the pump and at the same time a low pressure eifect is created at the intake area above the screen 8, first over the smaller intake areas and then over the central area, and so on in continuous succession.

In the structure shown in Figure 7, the pump chamber 4! is preferably of rectangular shape and is provided with a series of inlet valves 42 in'the respective end walls 43, 44. The outlet valves 45'are preferably at the top of the apparatus, but may be placed in any convenient side wall. Said valves may communicate with a single passageway, but as shown are connected with individual pipes or'tubes d6 through individual valve boxes or housings ii. Aby-pass conduit 48 connects each end of the pump chamber and a slide valve 49 serves to open this conduit in whole'or in part when there is no demand for the full output of the pump chamber. The piston in the structure shown in Figures 7 and 8 is actuated'by cables'52 connected with any suitableoperating mechanism which may be similar to that shown in Figures 11, 12 and 13. The cables preferably extend through small closely engaging apertures 53 to prevent pressure losses.

The structure shown in Figures 9 and 10 embodies the simplest form of reciprocating bellows type, positive displacement air craft, wherein the reciprocating member 6! on the downstroke, as shown in Figure 9, receives air through upwardly directed chutes 62, 53, on opposite sides adjacent the top and bottom thereof, respectively, and discharges air through downwardly directed chutes 6E, at" either side of the bottom thereof, and at right angles to the position of first-named chutes. Other arrangement of the chutes may be made as desired. Thus, one intake and one discharge chute may be positioned on each respective side wall. Likewise the type of piston used may be similar to that shown in Figures 1 to 6.

When the device is to be used as a toy, it is desirable to prevent air leakage around the piston and therefore the pump 66 has a piston member 81 with a flexible diaphragm margin 68 secured at its outer edges having an air tight connection 69 with the inner wall of the pump chamber.

The piston member maybeforrned of aspair of plates with outwardly beveled flanges and the diaphragm of rubber, or-any desired flexible or .elastic material maybe clamped between the plates which are securely fastened to the pump shaft ll. The shaft maybe reciprocated by any desired mechanism which may be similar to that shown in Figures 1 and.2, and-housed within the shell 12 at the bottom of the aircraft. The top it of the air craft may be slightly tapered upwardly to provide for even-air flow over its surfaces.

A pump of the type herein described is particularly adapted for air conditioning apparatus wherein quietness of operation is desirable as well as positive displacement of the air and relatively slow movement of the air column in order that it may be heated, cooled, or brought to a desired degree of moisture content. A pump structure for this purpose is illustrated in Figures 11 to20 inclusive. ing BI is mounted at the top of a cabinet82 and the housing 83 for the driving mechanism of the pump is positioned at the bottom of the cabinet. In an intermediate chamber 84 the air conditioning apparatus may be installed and it may comprise heating, cooling, or moisture exchanging means.

The pump chamber 85 is preferably rectangular in cross section'and has a'series of inlet valves 8?, in each of its respective end Walls 88, 89, I

and a series of outlet valves 9| in its top .wall 92. The inlet and outlet valves are flap valves of the construction shown in detail in Figure 18and heretofore described. The inlet valves open inwardly and the outlet valves outwardly and, in

the form shown, each flap is hingedly secured to one of the stationary bars or strips93, Mextending across the pump chamber adjacent the inlet and outlet openings respectively. The inlet valves 85, 8'! may 'behinged at their-top or-bottom edges as may be most convenient, and, as shownin Figure 13, are hinged at thetop edges for the two lowrblades or flap members, and at the lower edges for the two upper fiap members at each end of thepump chamber. The outlet r valves 95, as shown in'Figure 13, are hinged at the right hand edge throughout the series of flap members. This arrangement of the outlet valves provides uniform opening or closing'of the valves as the piston member reciprocates within the pump chamber. The piston 95, as shown in Figure'13, is a flat rectangular plate having a felt strip 96 around its margin to reduce air leakage. It is supported on a plurality of 'cables 91 comprising upper and lower pairs on each side of the piston plate 95 and running through close fitting apertures in the cross strips 93, and in the outer casing wall and over pulleys 98, 99 secured to the outer wall of the casing'and thence to a cross bar lei, as shown in Figures 11 and 1 2, which is'connected to a single strand l02,'!03 'on each side of the cabinet, whichstran'dsextend respectively over the pulleys we, Hi5, and enter the'housi-n'g for the driving mechanism' where the ends are securedto an anchor and cable takeeup fitting I05 mounted centrally of the arc-shaped edge I07! of a rocking segment supported centrally of its lower portion on 'a pivot pin IE8. 'The segment is given oscillating motion by means of a link Hi9 pivoted on a stud H l, above the pivot pin 108, and at its opposite end over a crank pin' M2 on a drive disk 1130f a speed reducing unit I I4 driven by a chain I I5 connected with the driving pinion H6 of an electric motor Ill.

It will be obvious that as the motor I I1 rotates As shown in Figure 11, the pump casthe driving disk H3, the segment will oscillate and will alternately take up the cable I02 while slackening the cable I03, and take up the cable I03 while slackening the cable I02, and that on the first mentioned movement the piston plate 95 will be drawn in the direction of the arrow shown in Figure 13, the inlet valves 81 opening and the outlet valve members 9I in advance of the piston being open and progressively closing as the piston moves along toward the end wall 88, and on the second mentioned oscillation, the piston plate will move toward the end wall 89. It will be noted that the upper pulleys 99 are ofiset outwardly from the casing wall a somewhat greater distance than the lower pulleys so as to prevent interference of the cable strands with each other and insure even tension at all times on the piston plate 95.

The pump casing is preferably a double walled casing over most of its extent, so as to insulate the pump chamber itself while at the same time providing one or more temperature conditioned passageways for the air being handled by the pump. In the structure shown in Figures 13 to 17, two passageways 121, 122, are shownleading to the respective inlet valves 86 and 81. These passageways may be heated or cooled, and if the entire casing is made of some metal having large heat transfer characteristics, such as aluminum or suitable aluminum alloy, a. most efiective air conditioning action can be brought about. The casing may be directly cooled by some solid or liquid refrigerant in direct contact with its Walls such as ice, or solid carbon dioxide, or it may be cooled by conduction through hollow studs or extensions I23 secured to the bottom wall of the unit, and engaged within coils I24 in the chamber 84 of the air conditioning unit. In place of cooling medium in the coils I24 a heating medium such as steam, hot water, glycerine or the like, may be conducted therethrough, the pipes I25, I 26 leading to said coils being carried any required distance to a source of heat or cold, as may be required. The entire cabinet may be insulated by sheets of insulation I21 as indicated in Figure 11.

Air drawn in through the respective conduits will be discharged through the open space above the outlet valves 9|, the casing extending above the plane of said valves so as to provide a well from which the conditioned air will be discharged into the room. Each passageway I2I, I22 extends along one side and end wall of the casing and below one half of the bottom wall of the casing. Thus the casing has a short L-shaped dividing wall I28 at each end of the casing connected with a central dividing wall I29 running the full length of the casing. The conduits I2I and I22 might be made to extend about the pump chamber a number of convolutions should the action of the pump require a longer air column for any particular service. The pump instead of being at the end of the air conditioning line, as shown in Figures 11 tol'l, might be placed at the beginning of the line, as is shown in Figures 19 and 20. The pump structure and valve arrangement is substantially the same as in apparatus just described, but the inlet valves I3I in the end walls of the pump chamber are uncovered and air is drawn directly into the pump chamber and discharged at the top through the outlet valves I32 into a passageway I33 formed by the outer casing wall I 34 and the pump chamber Walls I35. The air flow is in the direction shown by the arrows in Figure 20. If desired,

the passageway I 33 could be extended for a number of turns about the pump chamber and deeper wells I36 could be provided adjacent each inlet valve series so as to increase the heating or cooling effect preliminary to the intake of air through the inlet valves.

As has been indicated, the position of the valves and passageways may be changed as required by the particular work for which the apparatus is designed. The outlet valves may be in one side wall or in two, three or four side walls, with the inlet valves in the end walls. Or the inlet valves may be in the side walls and the outlet Vales in the ends of the casing. If desired, some inlet and some outlet valves may be in opposite end walls. All the valves may be in one wall over which the piston moves, if some special positioning requires such arrangement. As stated, the pump may be used to create a vacuum or low pressure effect or a predetermined pressure differential under certain valve adjustments and with a by-pass such as is shown in Figure 7, such mechanism is adapted for distribution of air or gases and by suitable valve control in the indivldual pipes would permit regulation of the output of the pump to any particular line.

Other modes of applying the principle of my invention may be employed instead of the one explained, change being made as regards the structure herein disclosed, provided the means stated by any of the following claims or the equivalent of such stated means be employed.

I therefore particularly point out and distinctly claim as my invention:

1. An apparatus of the character described,

having in combination a casing, a pump chamber having side and end walls within said casing, an abutment within said casing, means for producing relative movement between said casing and abutment, including a series of valves in a side wall of said chamber adapted to be progressively actuated by the relative movement of the abutment thereunder.

2. An apparatus of the character described, having in combination a casing, a pump chamber having side and end walls within said casing, an abutment within said casing, means for producing relative movement between said casing and abutment, inlet valves in the respective end walls of said chamber, outlet valves in at least I 3. An apparatus of the character described,

having in combination a casing, a pump chamber having side and end walls within said casing, an abutment within said casing, means for producing relative movement between said casing and abutment, inlet valves in the respective end walls of said chamber, outlet valves in at least one side wall of said chamber, said outlet valves being adapted to open and close progressively with each reciprocating movement of the apparatus, and an individual separate conduit leading along at least one side wall and communicating with the inlet valves in one end wall of the chamber.

4. An apparatus of the character described, having in combination a casing, a pump chamber having side and end walls within said casing, an abutment within said casing, means for producing relative movement between said casing and abutment, inlet valves in the respective end walls of said chamber, outlet valves in at least one side wall of said chamber, said outlet valves being adapted to open and close progressively with each reciprocating movement of the apparatus, and an individual separate conduit for each inlet valve series in one end wall of the casing, such conduit leading along at least one side wall of the casing to form a double walled chamber at such point. 7

5. An apparatus of the character described, having in combination a casing having side and end walls, a pump chamber within said casing, a plurality of outer walls in spaced relation to the first mentioned walls and providing a fluid passageway around said pump chamber, and a series of inlet and outlet Valves in the walls of said pump chamber, said inlet valves communicating with said passageway.

6. An apparatus of the character described, having in combination a casing having side and end walls, a pump chamber within said casing, a plurality of outer walls in spaced relation to the first mentioned walls and providing a fluid passageway around said pump chamber, and a series of inlet and outlet valves in the walls of said pump chamber, said outlet valves communieating with said passageway.

7. An apparatus of the character described, having in combination a casing having side and end walls, a pump chamber within said casing, a plurality of outer walls in spaced relation to the first mentioned walls and providing a fluid passageway around said pump chamber, and a series of inlet and outlet valves in the walls of said pump chamber, one series of said valves communicating with said passageway.

8. An apparatus of the character described,

having in combination a casing having side and end walls, a. pump chamber within said casing, a plurality of outer walls in spaced relation to the first mentioned walls and providing a plurality of fluid passageways leading to respective end walls of said pump chamber, a series of inlet valves in the respective end walls of said pump chamber communicating with said respective passageways, and a series of outlet valves in a side wall of said pump chamber.

9. An apparatus of the character described, having in combination a casing having side and end walls, a pump chamber within said casing, a plurality of outer walls in spaced relation to the first mentioned walls and providing a pluralit'y of fluid passageways leading to respective end walls of said pump chamber, a series of inlet valves in the respective end walls of said pump chamber communicating with said respective passageways, and a series of outlet valves in a side wall of said pump chamber, said outlet valves functioning at each reciprocating movement of the apparatus.

10. An apparatus of the character described, having in combination a casing having side and end walls, a pump chamber within said casing, a plurality of outer walls in spaced relation to the first mentioned walls and providing a fluid passageway leading to a side wall of said pump chamber, a series of outlet valves in said side wall of the pump chamber within said passageway, said outlet valves functioning at each reciprocating movement of the apparatus, and inlet valves in other walls of said pump chamber.

ALBERT 0. PRICE. 

